Jillian

When I was seventeen, I decided that I wanted to finish my YW Personal Program. I had been a bit of a slacker and was not done. I had a few more projects to finish. My family had just moved to QC that year and Heidi was friends with a girl named Jana. Jana's family had recently had a baby, Jillian, with some special needs, and I decided to do a "Good Works" project by serving their family in whatever way was needed. It started out as more of a cleaning up around the house thing and then turned into working and playing with Jillian. This YW project has impacted my life in more ways than I can count. I learned a lot about Heavenly Father's plan for His children and that sometimes we end up going down paths we were not expecting. I also was able to learn more about looking on people's heart not just the outward appearance. This one YW project actually allowed me to go into special education a few years later as a teacher. After my project was over, I started to work with Jillian as my job. I got signed up through the state for respite care and was able to work with Jillian and get paid for it. Two great things:) I have since worked with 4 other children with special needs (Tyler, Dayton, Emmie, and Nathaniel) and have learned something new from each one of them. As a side note, I did receive my YW medallion a few months later for completing my personal progress program.

Over the next 4-5 years, I worked with Jillian weekly. I got to know her and her family and learned to love all the fun little things about her. Jillian had quite the personality. She had a great sense of humor and I loved her laugh. Jillian liked to do whatever we asked her not to do to be funny. If you put an object in front of her and asked her not to touch it she would work with all her might to push that object off the tray in front of her. She would then laugh as I would say, "Jillian!" and pick up the object for her to push again. Whenever her siblings were around she would beg for their attention. She loved to watch what they were doing and try to participate as best as she could. Jillian was also one for adventure. Anything fast was fun to her. One time while riding in the car, the car had to make a quick stop. Someone had forgotten to buckle her in and she fell face forward out of the car seat onto the floor. When someone went to pick her up from the floor she was all smiles and had loved every minute of the ride. (I wasn't there for that story, but it was a funny one.) Jillian had an energy about her that was contagious.

On February 27, 2005, Jillian passed away. It was a difficult week, but it was also neat to rejoice in Jillian's life and the lives that she touched. I know that she is happy being able to walk and talk and run. I look forward to when I can see Jillian in heaven again and be around such a lovable, happy person with a big personality. It has been 3 years since her passing this week and I just wanted to express my appreciation to her and her family for the wonderful impact they had on my life.

Making gingerbread houses: Shelci with Jillian, Chereese, Amerae, Jenny & Jackie

There is an old mining cave up in the San Tan mountains. We all went for a hike up to the cave one Saturday. I think Jillian had a recent perm in this picture:)